I was so very happy to hear that this year’s Bb. Pilipinas Fashion Show at the Araneta Coliseum (March 6, 2014) was going to incorporate the National Costume competition. What a great idea from Team Binibini! I was eager to see the girls parade in Filipiniana of all kinds and dying to see the designs. This is not just about the girls, but about the beauty and significance of their costumes.
My major irritation though is that they failed to mention the designers of these beautiful creations! What would it have cost to include their names somehow during the program? Even to flash the designer’s names on screen would have been enough. What an oversight, in my humble opinion!
Nevertheless, I loved almost all the gowns and costumes and appreciated each one. In this series of blog posts, I’ll go through each costume and share my thoughts… those highlighted in RED are the gowns and girls that impressed me!
1. Julian Aurine Flores
The pretty Julian Aurine Flores carried this simple carmine Terno with delicate appeal. The indie music fan never fails to open each Bb. event on a strong note. While I love her when her tresses are down, her exquisite face is not diminished when her hair is pulled back into a bun. Carmine suits her and the the golden Sarimanok design accentuated the gown without overpowering Julian’s presence. A gown you can wear proudly to any formal event!
*****
2. Mary Ainjely Manalo
Another very wearable silvery-white Terno with elegant basket-frame wings that give this creation it’s own uniqueness without going overboard. I must add that this is the best performance I have ever seen from the pert-faced Mary Ainjely Manalo! Good choice of gown which the mountain-climbing beauty presented with gentle grace. Every now and then, she would remind me of one of my favorite beauty queens, Patti Betita.
*****
3. Joanna Angelica Romero
When Joanna Angelica Romero stepped out in this billowing black Mestiza gown, I first thought of Snow White’s evil nemesis – her step-mother, the Witch-Queen, aahaaha! Doesn’t this gown look PERFECT for any wicked woman? But on the contrary, Joanna Angelica doesn’t have that kontrabida look and is in fact very sweet-looking. Nevertheless, the former varsity basketball player carried this gown with enough edge to look darkly foreboding.
*****
4. Parul Shah
Perfect choice for the dusky Fil-Indian beauty – a costume traditionally worn in the Singkil dance of the Maranaw people from the South. Parul Shah, who is fluent in Hindi, Arabic and Gujarati, had the most stunning costume among the girls who chose Muslim-inspired numbers. She was like liquid gold rolling down the catwalk. A better performance in this year’s fashion show for Parul who is a second-timer in Bb. Pilipinas. Saluté!
*****
5. Hanna Mariz dela Guerra
If you look closely at this photo you will see that Hanna Mariz dela Guerra‘s soft beige Terno has a sheer net covering her upper chest up to the bottom of her neck. For me, this gown symbolizes the conservative Filipina who is not flashy and instead captures your heart with her simplicity and elegance. While it must have been difficult for this Ateneo de Manila grad to upstage the glittery costume that came before her, she moved confidently and gave the audience in Araneta Coliseum best smile!
*****
